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I have a map drive created from Tools > Map network drive.

The drive is mapped to a different machine's shared folder. So each time I switch off the machine, it asks for the password when I open the drive.

Is there a way to save this password?

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5 Answers 5

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Map the drive using this syntax at the command prompt:

net use X: \\Hostname\Share /savecred /p:yes

It will then prompt for a username and password, which will be saved and will not prompt even after a reboot.

You can also add the credentials by opening Start → Run → control userpasswords2 → Advanced → Manage Passwords.

This feature exists on Windows XP and later.

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  • 1
    Its Not working
    – Ravisha
    Apr 15, 2010 at 5:04
  • @Ravisha What happens when you try? Do you get an error message? Can you post the exact text you are typing which isn't working? Apr 15, 2010 at 5:32
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    did that,but still on restart the password has to be entered
    – Ravisha
    Jun 1, 2010 at 2:47
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    this does not work!
    – user65130
    May 22, 2012 at 12:27
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    it didnt work for me at first, because it already had a user configured for it, so no user or password was asked. after removing the user, i was asked for a usernamen and password and everything works fine since then.
    – Hrqls
    Jan 27, 2021 at 13:39
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Stephen Jennings has the correct answer but I have found that there are quite a few XP computers that still do not save the password to the network drive after a reboot (as Ravisha and user65130 may have found out). The only solution I have found on those XP computers is to put this in a batch file:

net use X: \\Hostname\Share password /savecred /p:yes

or

net use X: \\Hostname\Share /user:machinename\username password /savecred /p:yes

Put the batch file in the Startup folder and then on every reboot the mapped drive is reconnected. The bad thing about this method is that the password is being saved as plaintext in a file.

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    I believe the whether XP saves the password or not should depend on the edition (Home / Media Center vs Professional), but I have encountered all sorts of weirdness with saving credentials for network shares across Windows editions (and versions).
    – lzam
    Sep 21, 2014 at 1:08
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First, if you're in a domain environment, you would give the correct NTFS permissions to the share and setup a login script. I like using net use

net use z: \\server\sharename

If you're in a workground environment, if you create the same user name and password on the shared machine as you're logging in at the client you can do the same thing.

If something like that isn't available you can specify the user name and password with the script.

net use z: \\server\sharename /user:machinename\username Password

I make it a little harder for the average user to know the permissions and set it as an exe with this tool.

http://download.cnet.com/Bat-To-Exe-Converter/3000-2069_4-10555897.html

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  • Using the second method, if the drive becomes disconnected (not unmapped, just disconnected), it will prompt for a password next time it is accessed. The /savecred argument stores the credentials in LSASS protected storage so they can be reused automatically. Apr 13, 2010 at 5:40
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@echo off
echo --------------------------delete map drive all------------------------
net use * /delete /yes
echo ------------------create drive --------------------------------
net use m: \172.16.0.136\Source /user:aleg\masr masr2006*
net use n: \172.16.0.136\scanner_bat_test /user:alwq\4288044 masr2006*    
echo ---------------------------------------------------    
EXIT
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@echo off
echo --------------------------delete map drive all------------------------
net use * /delete /yes
echo ------------------create drive --------------------------------
net use m: \\172.16.0.136\Source /user:aleg\masr masr2006*
net use n: \\172.16.0.136\scanner_bat_test /user:alwq\4288044 masr2006*
echo ---------------------------------------------------

EXIT
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    You should try to explain what you are doing, just copying and pasting a script with your settings is not really useful.
    – Matteo
    Dec 16, 2012 at 11:49
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    He is deleting all the drive mappings, then remapping m: and n: using domain credentials and password. I think it is not well written script since if you have other drive mappings besides m: and n: they will be blown away by the first part of the script.
    – Sun
    Jun 13, 2014 at 18:22

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